Old or New?
by SuzanOfSouthern
Summary: Some one-shots based off the "Man of Steel" movie. Superman's decisions have dire (and sometimes hilarious) consequences.
1. Old or New?

**AN: This is a one-shot and it does contain "Man of Steel" spoilers, so if you haven't seen it, DO NOT CONTINUE! This is my attempt at exploring a part of the movie's story with a bit of my own imagination and feelings thrown in. Enjoy, and as always, please review! If you like, I might add more one-shot chapters. We'll see. :) By the way, I do not own Superman. That would be DC. *tear***

**EDIT: I needed to add just a little more detail and whatnot (my OCD), so I did modify it a little from what I first posted. Just giving you a head's up.**

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I tried to contain the man, tried to keep Zod from causing all this mayhem, and the fight just continued. When he shoved me into the column on the unfinished skyscraper, I took a knee. He tried to catch me with an I-beam, but I lasered through it, momentarily caught off-guard as he still managed to hit me with it.

"You've left me with nothing; I have no more people, Kal-el, and now we're the last of the Kryptonians. Doesn't stop me from trying to survive. I've adapted, over and over again. I was destined to be a warrior, always learning, always becoming better." His snarl and wicked grin met my gaze as he levitated. He'd finally realized how to fly.

This was not good.

He flew off with me hot on his trail. After exchanging blows and hits, and destroying more skyscrapers than I believed possible, I finally threw him into the glass ceiling of the local train station. I zoomed in, and got behind him, putting him into a headlock. His strength surprised me, even in that position. I should have been able to move him easily, but I couldn't. "Stop this!" I shouted through clenched teeth. I noticed that there were groups of people in a panic, all trying to move away, some frozen in complete fear. _But of who?_ I silently pondered, my grip still tight on Zod. I couldn't move him, but he couldn't move me either. "We can make this place better! You can join me in helping this planet!" I then saw them. The family who was frozen. I almost couldn't believe it.

They were from my town, from Smallville. They must have come for the little girl, Mandy. She had been getting sick often, and the only help they could get was from Metropolis General Hospital. She was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease, affecting her growth and slowing her movement. It was part of the reason they couldn't move as fast as the others.

"Your adopted world, these humans; they don't deserve to live. You're a disgrace to our planet, to our ancestors! Watch them die," he finished, his eyes heating up and blazing a line of molten hot heat towards the groups in the train station. They scattered. The Thomsons were cut off from the rest, being backed into a corner by Zod's heat vision.

"NO!" I cried. I didn't want to be here. Zod, as evil as he may be, was my last link to my world, my planet—my parents. I couldn't kill him. I couldn't. I didn't want to be alone and I needed to know more. "Don't do this! Please, don't do this!" I begged him, almost crying. I was trying to move him, and couldn't. He was resisting me even as he continued to burn a path towards the Thomson family. They hadn't done anything to deserve this. I struggled with him. "Stop!" I begged again, Zod uncaring and unmoved. I couldn't take it. I couldn't let them die, not from coming here for their little girl's treatments. I shut my eyes as my hands did the impossible. A quick crack and it was over. I couldn't take it.

I sat there, looking at the man I had just killed, the lights leaving his eyes. I had done something I never imagined I would do, and it broke me. I saw the family, saw them looking at me in disbelief. I looked at my hands, the hands that had just committed murder. The murder of the last of my kin. I trembled and screamed, the scream echoing in the large space. The Thomsons didn't know what to do.

I heard footsteps and looked up, seeing Lois. My face contorted in grief. She came to me and I held onto her, crying. I was truly the last of my kind now, and would always be. I had killed the last link to my world, and I couldn't bear to think about the fact that my hands had done such a horrendous thing.

But then I felt two hands on my shoulders. I looked up, tears streaming down my face. I saw the Thomsons, and as soon as they could see me, the entire family hugged me. Lois stood by quietly as they surrounded me, knowing their intentions.

"Thank you," they whispered, their tears joining my own. "Thank you for what you've done." Mandy found her way into my arms and hugged me the tightest. I closed my eyes again, holding her tight as well. My chin rested on her hair. Now my tears ran for a different reason. I may have lost the last of my birth world, but I was now accepted in my adopted world for what I was. Superman.


	2. Insurance Adjustment

**AN: So, due to the response I got from the first one-shot, I thought it would be funny to post this as well. WARNING: This does contain *somewhat* MoS SPOILERS. I kept thinking about this scene in the movie, and his response, so I figured why not? This is how I think the man would have responded after coming out to see what had happened to his truck. Also, I don't own Superman. *sad face***

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"Yeah, I need to file an insurance claim."

"All right, Mr. Jenkins; for the 2007 Freightliner, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"What's the problem?"

I paused. I wasn't sure how to exactly describe what was wrong with the semi. "Um…. There's a pile* through the engine compartment."

The woman sounded confused. "Can you repeat that?"

"There's a big tree trunk stuck through my engine compartment, along with other piles driven through the truck," I bit off, starting to get upset. The waitress and that busboy didn't help my mood. The satisfaction of dousing the busboy in beer and having him walk off was definitely worth it though.

"Do you know how it happened?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose, frustrated. "No, I don't know how it happened! I went to get a bite to eat before I slept, and when I came back out, my truck looked like a child stuck Lincoln logs through his Hot Wheels truck!" I ranted. I was angry. Besides angry, I was also confused. How the hell had it happened? Even if the logs got dislodged, no situation would ever have created what had happened to my truck! "Just total it out, and get me a check so I can get a new truck! I have to call the company to let them know what happened." I sat there for a few more minutes while she finished up her end.

"A check will be issued to the company, Mr. Jenkins; everything is in order. Make sure you get pictures and send them via fax or e-mail to our office to verify the conditions you spoke about."

I clicked the phone off. I stared at my rig, still run through with piles. It looked ridiculous. I held my phone up to snap some photos. The insurance company and my logging company were going to have a fit when they saw these.

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*A pile is what a shorn timber log is usually referred to where I'm at.


	3. Stronger Than he Looks

**A/N: This is a one-shot (albeit, it's kinda long) about Pete Ross and his involvement in the movie. I thought it would be interesting to explore since he shows up in so many flashback scenes. It may not be funny or dramatic, but I thought it would be interesting to explore. Thanks for all the views and reviews! I never expected so many people to be interested in this. Warning: MoS SPOILERS. Do not read if you haven't seen the movie. Also, I don't own Superman, no matter how badly I want to.**

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I was never his friend; not really, anyways. I always thought he was kinda weird, to be honest. I remember the day the bus crashed. I had been teasing him because he was just so weird. No one ever played with him, or hung out with him, or ever really talked with him at all. Yeah, I was a bully. When someone's as big as I am, no one usually questioned what I did, or dared to stand up to me. Perhaps someone should have. Perhaps he should have.

I don't remember getting tossed out of the bus, but somehow I got swept away into the river. I didn't see what was happening; I had blacked out. The only thing I really remember from that day is Clark pulling me from the river. When I gasped and caught my breath, I saw the bus out of the river and on the bank. I blinked. "What in the—?" I looked at Clark, who'd pulled me from the river. All he did was stare at me. I saw the girls and the rest of the bus staring at Clark with wide eyes.

But—there was no way. Clark was smaller than some of the girls! He didn't have any strength, not enough to lift a bus out of a river. But those stares, those endless, intense stares everyone was giving him. I scrambled up the bank, suddenly unsure of who Clark was, what he was capable of. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it. I got back on the bus. Lana threw me an evil glare.

"I got knocked out! What happened?" I questioned, several of the students looking at me when I spoke. Lana was the one that answered; she had never really been scared of me.

"Clark just saved us, Pete, and went back to get you when he saw you weren't on the bus!" she snapped. Her eyes softened as she looked back at him. "He's a hero; what're you ever going to be?"

"He pushed the bus onto the bank? There's no way Clark could do something like that!"

"Well, Pete, he did, and I saw it happen, so shut your mouth and be thankful!" I was silent after her words. There was nothing else to really say. Clark Kent, a boy I thought of as strange and weird, saved me, a bully. It was hard to not change after something like that happened. I could tell he was reserved, that he was alone because of some sort of fear. Like he didn't want anyone to know who he really was, or what he could really do.

Like I said before, we were never really friends, but I did kinda look out for him since that day in the river. I saw others bullying him one afternoon, when his dad was over at my dad's junk yard looking for parts. They pulled him out of the car and slammed him into the fence. I didn't hear what they said, but I came over as soon as I saw the commotion. I'd been doing my homework while my dad worked. By the time I got there, they had left, Clark still pushed into the fence. I offered him a hand and a small smile. He took it and got up. I had to leave. My mom had just pulled up, but I hoped that someday Clark would be able to be himself. I could see the pain he was in after the encounter, but had no words to offer to him afterwards.

We would occasionally be partnered for projects in school, but never really spoke to each other much. We graduated and moved on from there; I stayed in Smallville as the manager for the local IHOP. I didn't know what or where Clark went off to; all I knew was that he was gone. Once his dad had passed and his mother didn't need him for the farm anymore, he really had no reason to stay. He stayed gone for longer than a decade. I had almost forgotten about him until that lady showed up wanting to hear about the bus incident. Some reporter from the Planet.

"Can you tell me about the bus accident that happened when you were younger?" she asked. Her eyes were filled with so much curiosity and wonder, I couldn't help but indulge her.

"Let's sit, shall we? It will be easier to talk when we can sit."

She gratefully accepted my invitation. We found a booth that was as secluded as I could find. I offered her a free drink, but she politely refused. "I came to find out what happened to the bus, and who was responsible for saving it."

My eyebrows shot up. "Surely you know; you're a reporter, right?"

Her blue eyes pierced mine. "I'm looking for personal accounts, eyewitness reports, things like that. Now I was told that you could help me corroborate the accounts I've already gotten from a Miss Lana Lang, a Mister Kendall James, and a few others I've managed to talk with while here." She was definitely a determined and straight-forward reporter, something people may not always respond to well. I took her words in stride. I nodded, and told her what I had seen and experienced. I never heard from her again after that.

Didn't think too much of it until a few days later when two beings crashed into my IHOP. I had seen the television, heard the maniac requested that a "Kal-el" be sent to him, this man from another world. I waited with everyone else to see what would happen. I never expected to see Clark Kent again. When he and the other being rocketed into the lobby, I hid behind the counter. I peeked out from behind, catching a glimpse of dark hair and a face I hadn't seen in forever. My mouth went slack. But—he—what? This was my classmate, a man I'd graduated high school with. What in the world was going on? And what was he wearing?

The female started kicking and throwing him around the restaurant. I ducked, fearful of debris hitting me. Clark was being tossed around as if he was nothing. I blinked. From what I knew, no one could do such a thing and survive. But he got back up and traded blows with this woman, who called him weak for having the morals he did. She punched him through the wall and blasted through herself to continue attacking him. I stared at the wall in shock, Clark's face still imprinted in my memory. This was who that maniac wanted? Clark Kent? Or was it that other name—Kal-el? Who was he? I no longer knew.

As the day and week passed, news of the Superman and what he'd done came to Smallville as it did to the rest of the world. I knew who the man was, but didn't breathe a word of it to anyone else. There was a reason he had been hiding, and now that he could finally be himself, even if for those few moments, I would let him have that. He'd been hiding his whole life, all of his abilities, from the world and now that he could finally use them for good, I saw no reason to tell anyone what I knew. His heart held more compassion and empathy than anyone I knew, and he was here to help us, even if we didn't want it. Like when he saved me the morning of the bus accident. His selflessness changed me for the better, and I know that's what he wants for the rest of the world.


	4. One Smokin' Barrel

**A/N: So, one of the reviewers gave me an idea, and I wanted to modify it some because I think this would have been a hilarious scene had it actually happened. I wanted to give a soldier's perspective on a couple of scenes, so that's what this one-shot is. The military terms used here are as true as I can make them, and if I am wrong, please inform me immediately and I will correct it. I will annotate some things here: NCO - Non-commissioned officer; A-gunner - Alternate (or replacement) gunner; 16 - an M-16 rifle. Pretty sure everyone knows what a .50 Cal is. I tried to write in vernacular, but I'm not sure it worked out. Eh, it was worth a try. DISCLAIMER: I do not own Superman. And there are MoS SPOILERS (somewhat). I also appreciate all the views and reviews! You guys are awesome! (and consquently, why I'm continuing the one-shots.)**

**EDIT: So, I changed some of the vernacular. I hope that it reads a little easier. **

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I sat at the helm of my .50 cal, my thumbs ready on th' triggers. I was here ta provide firepower, and my A-gunner was below me, ready to replace me should I get hit. I loved this weapon; this powerful, beautiful weapon that could eas'ly destroy a vehicle in one burst of high-explosive rounds. The gun that makes bullets soar over 1800 meters. I settled into my position as I saw something zip across th' sky, and slowly made his way down ta where we were. I kept my fingers ready.

Not that I thought this Kal-el fella was going ta try anything. I, as well as the other soldiers, waited there, holdin' our breath as the—alien started talkin' with the General. He didn' look like an alien ta me. He looked like a normal fella, but after seein' him come down from the clouds, I realized we could be in a whole lotta trouble if the other aliens decided ta attack.

The Colonel got inta the conversation, tellin' him that they were handin' him over ta the others. I thought I saw a twitch from the Colonel. My fingers were itchin' ta pull the trigger, but I refrained. The Colonel told th'alien ta wait. All I 'member was that my NCO gave me a silent signal. That was all I wanted and needed. Once the Colonel an' the General were clear, I let'im have it. It felt so good to let off a few rounds inta the fella. I didn' have a care in the world. The dust kicked up aroun' him, swirlin' and twirlin' until I was given orders ta stop. Almost an entire belt was used on the fella. I know I hit him. He should be gone when the dust clears.

"Son-of-a—!" I couldn't believe it. The thing just stood there, his arms crossed, his face dark. No emotions, no marks—nothin'. "What th'hell are ya?" I shouted, swearing up and down I'd pegged him more than a few times with the bullets.

"Really, General? You thought you'd test me to see how resilient I am? Are you happy now, because I'm trying to turn myself in so we can save this planet," the thing spoke, uncrossing his arms and clenching his fists, a scowl on his face.

"You can't blame us for being at least a little curious," the General said, walkin' back up to him. The General poked him a few times. Nothin' was wrong. No bullet holes, no marks, nothin'. "'m glad he's on our side," I muttered, rackin' my gun back to dislodge the last cartridge an' clear my weapon. My A-gunner had hopped up ta help me, and quickly made his way back in once the check was done.

Absolutely mind-blowin'. Then he allowed himself ta be hand-cuffed. That should hold him, right? My NCO threw me a 16 an' told me ta follow the guy ta the interrogation room. I grinned. This was gonna be fun. I lined up with th'rest of my squad, an' we escorted the alien ta the room. Once they'd locked it down, we filed into the hidden room behind the one-way glass. Y'know, for back-up. Our guns were at the ready, all of us behind the Colonel.

The alien an' that hot reporter were talkin'. I liked red-heads. There was just something so—fiery about'em. This one was no differen'. "Why'd you let them hand-cuff you?"

The alien shrugged. "It makes them feel better." What'd he mean by that?

She was lookin' awfully close at'im. "So… what's the S stand for?"

The man shifted in his seat, pausin' slightly. "It's not an S. On my world, it means hope."

The lady leaned forward. "Well, here it's an S. What about Super—?" The Colonel wouldn't let her finish the sentence.

"If it's all the same to you, whoever you are, we'd like some answers." The alien looked at the reporter an' got up, twistin' the handcuffs apart as if they'd been construction paper while walking to the one-way glass. Our guns snapped to ready at that point.

"You want answers, Colonel? How about we talk about trust? Especially with the soldiers you have in there with you. Do you think I'm a threat?"

"We don't trust you."

"And I don't trust you."

"So what about Zod? Do you trust him?"

"I don't, but I'm going to need your help to take him down." The alien had a look in his eye, like he knew somethin' like this was gonna happen. That no one would wanna trust him, especially with the powers he had. Hell, if I had even one of those powers, I wasn' sure if I'd have turned myself in like this, or be askin' for help. I'd probably have gone and hid, everyone else be damned. The Colonel an' him talked some more but my mind was elsewhere. This thing had obviously lived here for some time before all this happened. How'd the other aliens know he was here? Why did they care? I guess when the world's at stake, someone's gotta stand up for it, right? I could hardly wait ta see how this all turned out.


	5. The New Guy

**A/N: So, I decided it would be interesting to do a one-shot through Perry's eyes, courtesy of inspiration from a review. This is set after the movie. I figured it would be a fun little one-shot. I'm probably not going to be doing many more of these due to the fact that I really can't be taking scenes direectly from the movie and putting them on here. I have to make changes, and I enjoy the movie as is, so. Yeah. Probably like 2 more one-shots for this, and I'm done with this particular set of one-shots.**

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I rubbed my eyes. Being an editor was no walk in the park, that's for sure. I'm sure glad I hired that new kid, Kent. The man looked like a farm boy, but he was a dedicated guy, that's for sure. And I didn't have to pay him nearly as much as I did any other new hire. A relief for me and good for the bottom line, especially with the quality work he's given us.

He's been here for less than a week, and already he's proving to be one of the better reporters I've got. Well, not better than Lane. No one's better than Lois Lane.

I was finishing up on some last-minute additions to the next day's edition when it started. I thought it was just my imagination, that I was starting to hear noises because of my delirious state. I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. As the noise grew louder, I couldn't help but glance through my window. "What in the name of all that's holy is going on?" I barked out my door, my eyes still glued on the road below. "KENT!" I bellowed. Lane was working on a different story, and it seemed like the perfect story for him to really show what he could do.

"KENT!" I yelled again, now getting angry. It wasn't like him to not show up when I called for him.

"He went to grab some dinner, Chief!" I swore.

"He's missing the biggest scoop of the week! There is an alien wrecking downtown Metropolis, and no one to go get the news!"

Jenny popped up from her desk. "I can do it, Chief!"

I dismissed her. "Jenny, you're not covering this; Marcus! This one's all yours!" Marcus looked at me with incredulity.

"But, Chief, I don't—"

"Get going, Marcus," I warned him, throwing him a glare for good measure. The thin man took a gulp, grabbed his notepad, and headed down the stairs. I went back to the window, looking down at all the destruction the alien was causing. I saw a streak of blue and red. I grinned. Superman. In a matter of seconds, the alien was nowhere to be found. I blinked. What had happened?

"Someone contact Marcus! I want to know exactly what went down!" I barked at the closest person available. Jenny had her phone to her ear already, demanding to know what was going on. I loved that girl; she could be a good editor one day. I averted my eyes back to the scene. The wreckage, thankfully, had only been about two blocks' worth of broken cars and concrete. Nothing too major.

"Chief, he said the alien was gone by the time he got down there." I cursed again. Why did I even keep that man?

"Well, tell him to get interviews with the witnesses on the street. He can type up whatever he gets when he's done." I swore again, angry that Marcus hadn't gotten downstairs in time. I wondered what Superman had done with the alien. No matter. I looked down at my watch. I wondered how long it would take Kent to eat and get back. Well, I shouldn't expect him too soon. He always took long lunches and dinners. With his work quality, I let him. He often took his breaks during the worst possible situations, though. I don't know how he'll manage to get a front page byline with missing so much action. I'm trying to help him get one, but he's always on break during those times. I don't understand that man, and I probably never will.


	6. American Hero

**A/N: So I saw the movie for the 3rd time yesterday, and I felt that this one-shot was needed. This is my take on the destruction and devastation in the movie. And it's probably something that potentially could have happened. I guess we'll never know, but I gave it a shot. Heh. Oh, definitions: M4 - like an M16 but with a collapsible butt-stock and shorter barrel; flagging - pointing a weapon's barrel at a human being, and all the ranks are Air Force ranks since Colonel Hardy is an Air Force bubba. Also, I took the liberty of using a squad, which usually consists of 12-15 personnel. I chose 13 for my one-shot. DISCLAIMER: I do not own Man of Steel. That would be DC. Enjoy! Oh, and review if you feel like it.**

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When I saw the man in the blue suit emerge from the rubble of the Sears store in Smallville, I couldn't help but stare. Our orders were to attack the aliens; that included him. My M4 was at the ready, but I, along with my comrades, looked at the man and could tell he had no intention of fighting us. We all stopped flagging him as our target, our weapons angled at a 45 like we'd been taught. The Colonel walked up, holding a Senior Master Sergeant at his side.

"This man is not our enemy," the Colonel replied, looking at him. The alien gave a small smile.

"Thank you, Colonel." He shot off into the sky, clouds trailing behind him. I looked around at all the rubble that now existed. Man, that guy and those aliens really did a number on this town. But why Smallville, of all places? Why was this town significant in any way? There wasn't any time to really ponder those questions as we started to organize teams to help in cleaning up the destruction those beings left in their wake.

I know that no one would believe what had just happened, but there were plenty of wrecked cars and broken buildings to say otherwise. We needed to check the buildings for injured people while the National Guard worked on suiting up and cleaning up. I cautiously stepped up to the IHOP, my squad behind me.

"Anyone hurt?" I yelled, knowing that only friendlies were in the restaurant. I heard a few yeses, so my squad and I went into assess the damage. The roof was on the verge of collapse, but still holding. We needed to get these people out now. "Is anyone in critical condition?" I yelled again, hoping there wouldn't be any voices. I heard some whimpering, but no affirmations. I saw the manager crouched behind a counter near the front double doors. "Sir, I need you to help me get everyone out of this building. Six of my men will help you in assisting people out of here." I turned to the first six and motioned them to the man behind the counter. "Listen to him and help him get everyone from the left side out safely. The roof is not in great condition, and watch out for debris." I waved to the last six men, and we went to the right side of the restaurant.

Luckily, there weren't many patrons in the restaurant at the time. We would have to get testimonies from everyone as well as assessing them for injuries. I encountered an older couple first. "Sir, Ma'am, we're here to get you out of the restaurant. Are you injured in any way?" The woman pointed to her legs, her walker completely trashed. I motioned to Tech Sergeant James. "You need to carry her out. What about you, sir; are you all right?" The man nodded, and followed Techy James and his wife out the front doors. The rest of my squad had fanned out and were assisting the other patrons. Slowly but surely, everyone made their way outside and sat in the parking lot until a police car managed to drive his way through the rubble. I could hear the National Guard making their way into the town to start clean-up. Well, that was quick.

Colonel Hardy was approaching; we all rendered our salutes, and he acknowledged them with one of his own. "National Guard's on their way in; we can't do much more than we've already done. We need to get back with General Swanwick and see if there are any other orders to come down."

"But, sir—"

"But nothing, Master Sergeant. We go and get our next orders; I know you want to help, but they might need us for other things yet. Those aliens are still out there waiting for us."

"I think they're waiting for him," I answered truthfully. The rest of the men looked at me; no one spoke to a Colonel the way I was. I didn't care. I never did, really.

"Be that as it may, Master Sergeant, we need to leave. Let's round up the rest and head back."

* * *

"Master Sergeant, I can't believe you roped us into this!" one my troops whined. We were on the ground in Metropolis, looking out for the civilians in case something happened.

"Then leave," I snapped. "I'm not in the mood for your bitching and whining, Staff Sergeant. I'm going to try and help as much as I can. Who knows what these psychopaths may do?" I got my answer as I saw their giant ship descending into the heart of downtown. But why there? I mused, unable to take my eyes off the huge ship. I saw the center of it starting to glow. Oh no, it was—

I ran into the closest building I could. "Everyone needs to get out of this building NOW!" I thundered at the front desk personnel. They were staring out the window. "SNAP OUT OF IT!" I shouted at them. "I'm going to pull the fire alarm; make sure people are heading to the basement or to the subway system. We can't afford to let anyone die." One of the men shook himself out of his stupor.

"Basement or subways; got it," he said, activating any and all alarms that he could. Thank the Lord. I sprinted from building to building, trying to get people to leave as soon as possible. That—whatever that thing was didn't look good. The white-hot beam of energy shot into the ground, levitating the debris it had created, and flattening everything that got in its way in pulses. I had no idea what that was supposed to be accomplishing. The pulses continued, the circles and fields getting wider with each pulse from the ship. We were still several blocks away, but I could feel the shudders through the concrete. I wondered how the people in the buildings were coping, if they were trying to evacuate, or if there were no survivors that close to the beam. These aliens—these creatures—did they know what they were doing to us? Did they care?

I shoved the thoughts aside as I started to help the police and the firemen in directing people towards safety. "You should be safe if you head away from the beam!" Sounded obvious, but when people panicked, they usually weren't thinking right. "This way, people! Follow me!" I cried, leading as many people as I could away from the destructive ship. I may not be that flying—super—whatever, but I could do this. I could help my country and my people by doing this.


	7. Fate

**A/N: So, I decided this will probably be the last for these one-shots. I was trying to find a good way to wrap all of them up, and perhaps to end it on a slightly nostalgic note. This is from Jor-El's perspective. Thank you for all the follows, the reviews, the favorites, and the views! I really enjoyed doing this for you guys. I might end up doing a fanfic on Superman, drawing from the New 52 comics and Man of Steel, but we'll see. I got lots of beta-reading to do for others. Disclaimer: I own nothing. DC owns the characters.**

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I gazed out at our red sun slowly setting down in the west, its fiery rays touching the city of Kandor. My eyes searched out the taller spires, the seat of our government. I was supposed to go in front of them in the morning. A cry pierced the stillness that enveloped me. I smiled. My son. Our son. I strode back into my home to see what was wrong. The crying died down, replaced with noisy pulls. Ah, hunger. I quickened my pace, wanting to see my wife and son before I would no longer get a chance.

Time was running out, and we were desperately trying to find a way to save Kal. That's what we named him. Kal, of the house of El. I entered our bedroom, saw him snuggled against his mother, satiating his hunger quite loudly. Lara looked up at me, a smile teasing the corners of her mouth. I smiled back at her, joining her on the bed and watching our son.

"We've defied the rules, Lara; we brought this boy into the world without consent of the Council," I said quietly. I stared at her and she at me. We were silent for a few minutes. "I don't regret any moment. Our son will change the future."

"I have no doubt he will, Jor, but I'm not sure that what you're proposing is really necessary. He's our son; we just got to meet him, and now we have to send him away? Without us? Who'll take care of him?"

I put my hand on Lara's arm. "Lara, we just need to find a star system with sentient beings similar to us. I've already started looking at the old outposts; perhaps we can find a planet in the archives. Can you help me with that?"

She nodded, looking down at Kal. He had fallen asleep. "If you think it's necessary, then yes. If we can give him a chance to live, if we really are doomed…." She grabbed my hand, tears welling up in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, then grabbed my hand again. "He deserves a chance, and we will give it to him." She gently placed him into his cradle and followed me to the laboratory. All the computers were there. Time was running out, and we needed to find a suitable system.

"Most of the old outposts are now decimated and gone, but some still have life. From what I've gathered so far, there are about 25 systems that have life teeming in them that we could potentially send Kal to. I've already eliminated 50."

Lara put a hand on my arm. "Jor, you need to rest; you've been working on the ship and researching for a week straight since you found out about the core. I'll work on this while you go get some sleep." I rubbed my eyes; I had been working more than usual, but only because of what I'd found out about the results of us harvesting the planet's core. Due to our own doing, the core was becoming unstable. We may have a few weeks, or we could have less. I didn't know. What I did know was that we were going to die. All of us. And that's why we needed to save him, to give him a fighting chance to be someone we could never be. To be his own man, and to become something so much greater than what we could offer him here on Krypton, the dying planet.

"You are right, Lara; I need rest before going to the Council with my findings and my solution. Thank you." I kissed her forehead and left, knowing that soon, we would be gone. All of us. But for now, we dared to live.


End file.
